The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office has proposed a P400-million budget for 2027 to expand its response and operational capabilities, officials announced Friday.

Retired Col. Dennis Pastor, chief of the provincial disaster agency, said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) approved the proposal in principle during its third-quarter meeting, presided over by provincial administrator Joseph Ace Durano.

About P168 million, or 60 percent of the core allocation, will fund disaster preparedness, including upgraded equipment for the agency, its Emergency Operations Center, and provincial warehouses.

The budget proposal allocates an additional P28 million for disaster prevention and mitigation, P56 million for response and early recovery, and P28 million for long-term recovery and rehabilitation.

The requested increase aims to scale up the agency’s personnel and equipment capacity during major emergencies. The disaster office currently employs 85 personnel, up from 10 during the previous administration.

Pastor cited that the revived agency initially began operations without a single functional vehicle. The office currently operates seven mobile kitchens and is in the process of acquiring additional vehicles to meet field and logistical demands.